


Don't Get Involved

by aquilaofarkham



Category: Assassin's Creed, Assassin's Creed III - Fandom
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Development, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Post-Assassin's Creed III
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 14:13:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8893795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aquilaofarkham/pseuds/aquilaofarkham
Summary: Connor finally reveals the truth about his occupation to his LI - inciting some brief drama between the two of them.





	

It was still dark outside when Madeleine Barrett woke up. She opened her tired eyes and lazily sat up in bed, stretching out her hands before running them over her thick hair, pushing back the tangles away from her face. Part of her expected to see the same cracked walls, cramped bed, and broken window, all of which belonged to her claustrophobic bedroom back at the general store.

When Madeleine rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, she looked around and instead saw a large room with multiple windows, beautiful red wallpaper, a desk, bookcases, and fireplace. Remnants of her old home were nowhere to be found. The only things she brought with her were a single suitcase and an old tattered doctor’s bag, both of which were sitting unpacked on one of the chairs. No more customers making demands at her and no more of her disgusting aunt. Madeleine left them all in Boston where they belonged.

She hoped that Sabine Barrett would never come back into her life. It didn’t matter if she was family. Madeleine didn’t want to talk or even think about that horrible, bitter old woman. Sabine didn’t deserve any of her attention.

The air in the room was a bit chilly, but Madeleine felt much warmer with all the blankets covering her body. Huddling underneath them, she turned over onto her side and smiled. Connor lay right next to her, sleeping peacefully as his broad chest rose up and down with every slow, steady breath. The more she looked at him, the more her smile grew until her cheeks began to hurt.

She couldn’t remember the last time she felt so happy, even with all the recent events leading up to her decision of running away. Everything from her mother’s untimely death to her aunt’s constant verbal abuse was still fresh in Madeleine’s memory. And she knew they were never going to fade away. But at least she found herself in a place where she could feel safe, loved, and respected. That was more than enough for her.

“You may stay with me for as long as you need to.” Madeleine remembered Connor saying this after he drew her into his arms and wiped away her tears. The moment he welcomed her into the manor and by extension his larger community; Madeleine made a promise to herself. She would never return to the life she thought she had to accept; no matter how much she despised it.

Careful not to wake him, Madeleine placed a light kiss on Connor’s forehead. She liked to think of it as a silent “thank you” for everything he did for her. Afterwards, she slipped on a thin robe over her nightgown and got out of bed, her bare feet stepping onto the cold wooden floor. Madeleine had visited the manor many times during the past year, but she was only really familiar with the kitchen and dining room, where she gave Connor his weekly check-ups right before having tea with him. Those particular visits always ended up lasting longer than either of them expected. Not because Connor’s health was in worse shape, but because they enjoyed each other’s company too much.

Madeleine never once stopped to think about how truly big and empty the manor was. Now she had the perfect opportunity to do some exploring. Quietly walking towards the doorway of the bedroom, Madeleine looked back at Connor, still fast asleep. _He won’t mind_ , she thought as she exited into the main hallway.

While she made her way throughout both floors of the manor, she marveled at every painting, bookcase, personal memento, and piece of lavish furniture she stumbled upon. Madeleine’s favourite rooms included Connor’s old bedchamber and the small library. The manor certainly had a lot of character to it.

Yet it also confused her. Connor never struck her as the type of person who preferred living on his own in such a massive building. Then again, Connor himself never said he enjoyed it and Madeleine finally understood why.

 _I cannot imagine how lonely it must feel living here._ She thought, sauntering back down to the first floor. But before she could return to Connor’s new bedroom, Madeleine noticed something odd just behind the staircase next to the kitchen. Upon closer inspection, one of the walls looked uneven, as though it had been pushed slightly inward, while a lone candelabra hung beside it.

Madeleine imagination began to run wild. _I wonder…_ It seemed a bit coincidental, but she was far too curious to leave it be. Grabbing the candelabra, she fiddled around with it before pulling it down them same way she would a lever. A small *click* was heard as she stared at the wall. Reaching towards it, Madeleine's curiosity, but also caution, reached a new high. After placing her palm against the wall, she gave it a light push. It opened with a loud creak and revealed a steep staircase leading down into near darkness.

That was when Madeleine's conscious finally stepped in. Part of her thought it was only the basement of the manor, meaning there was no reason for her to be acting so hesitantly. Another part told her to stop being noisy. It urged her to go back to the master bedchamber and rejoin Connor in bed.

But it wasn't enough. Wrapping the robe tightly around her shoulders and arms, Madeleine took her first steps down the stairs. The further she went, the more the basement revealed itself in dim candlelight. Her heart began to race as she reached the very bottom and saw what awaited her.

A large circular room, similar to an indoor arena, that remained empty save for a few training dummies, a wide assortment of weapons ranging from muskets to swords, and what appeared to be a set of military uniforms lined up in a row. Sauntering towards the very center, shocked but mostly confused, Madeleine then noticed a single desk and candle. On the wall behind it were maps of Boston, New York, Albany, and various other cities, portraits of politicians and noblemen, and individual notes all of which looked to be written in Connor's handwriting.

Madeleine tried to make sense of it all - the seemingly disorganized array of notes, the marked up maps, and the paintings of people she didn't recognize - when she suddenly heard footsteps coming down the stairs. She spun around, the sound of her heart pounding in her ears, and saw Connor standing at the bottom of the staircase. He was barefoot, wearing nothing but his trousers and a loose fitting shirt, while his hair - usually tied back - fell in tangles around his face.

"Madeleine..." He spoke up in a soft tone, walking towards her. Without thinking, she flinched and took a step back. Almost as if she was scared of him.

"I'm sorry," she exclaimed. "I-I was just looking around and I noticed... I didn't mean to-"

"Madeleine, it is alright." Connor reached out his hand. She didn't take it.

"What is this place?"

"The bottom cellar-"

"I know that. What I mean is... what do you do down here? What is all this? I thought you said you were done with being a soldier."

"... I was never a soldier to begin with."

Madeleine could feel her head spin. "Then why did you tell me that?"

Connor looked away from her, pausing for a brief moment, before speaking. "I've been meaning to tell you the truth."

"The truth about what?" She wasn't angry - not yet - but the confusion and uncertainty of the situation did nothing to help ease her growing sense of distress. Despite this, she let Connor speak for himself.

"About everything." He grabbed two chairs and brought them over to the desk. "We both should sit down for this."

Once they did, he kept his word. Connor revealed everything to Madeleine, sparing no detail about his life or occupation. He told her about the vision he had when he was fourteen, his training as an assassin, and all the people he killed during the war - including his father and his childhood friend. Afterwards, he told her about Achilles, the constant lies and manipulation of Washington, and why he showed up on her doorstep with a gaping wound in his gut, begging for help; all while keeping a calm tone and composed expression.

Madeleine didn’t say much apart from the occasional question. When she couldn’t think of any more, she said nothing. The only thing she could do for the moment was wait. She continued to listen as her dearest friend and now lover confessed all of his closely guarded secrets. Once Connor finished speaking, a single thought – or rather a harsh revelation – came to Madeleine.

_I thought I knew you._

Silence passed between the two of them while a tense, uneasy atmosphere filled the room. Connor was the first to speak up. “I know I should have told you sooner. I am so sor-“

“Stop.” Madeleine interrupted, unable to look him directly in the eyes. “Please… don’t say anything else.” Another lengthy pause. After letting out a quiet sigh, she uttered four short words under her breath.

“I need to think.”

Connor stared at Madeleine, admittedly shaken by her initial reaction, but was more than understanding. “Of course.” He said, respecting her request. Without another word, he watched as she stood up and slowly exited up the stairs.

Madeleine couldn’t bring herself to look back at him. Nor could she bear retreating back to his bedchamber, the dining room, or anywhere else in the manor. She needed to go to a secluded place where she wouldn't feel so anxious.

Walking out the door and into the morning fog that covered the Homestead, Madeleine settled on a nearby cliff overlooking the bay. The very first rays of sunshine were already beginning to rise up along the horizon. She sat down on an out sticking boulder and huffed onto her hands in an attempt to warm them. It was cold, so cold she could see her breath, but at least she was alone with her thoughts. Her scattered, confusing, and almost contradictory thoughts.

Madeleine wasn't upset at the fact that Connor had kept all those secrets from her. She understood why he would do it in the first place. Even she admitted to keeping a few secrets of her own from loved ones.

Yet what upset her most of all was the revelation of Connor’s true profession. Madeleine always thought of assassins as murderous, deceitful rogues; history’s oldest villains who reveled in bloodshed and the chaos brought about by their own actions. How could a man so gentle and committed to making a difference for the better have the capacity to shed so much blood? Did Connor truly deceive her?

 _No_ , Madeleine scolded herself. _If he wanted to deceive me further, he would have never told me the truth with such sincerity._ Upon arriving at that conclusion, she asked herself something different. _Do you still love him?_ She didn’t need to think about it for very long.

_Yes. Yes, I do._

With her head aching and her heart pulling itself in different directions, Madeleine felt the urge to cry. But she didn’t. The time for weeping was over and she had grown tired of it. Still, there was the question of what to do. Going back to Boston was unacceptable, but if she stayed she would be pulled into Connor’s world of assassins, Templars, and conspiracies.

 _It would be best not to get involved_ , a voice of reason told her. Before she could respond or question it, Madeleine turned around and saw Connor walking towards her. They exchanged a few awkward, unsure glances until Madeleine found her voice.

“You said something about recruits.”

“I did.”

“Who are they? Have I met them yet?”

After hearing that, Connor’s solemn expression slowly changed. “No, not yet. Well, you have met Faulkner but he was part of the Brotherhood long before I was. Once I joined, I found Duncan, Deborah, Clipper, Jamie, Jacob, and Stephane.”

“Tell me more about them.” Madeleine didn’t know where this conversation would lead them but at the moment, listening to Connor talk some more seemed to be the best idea.

“I… well, Stephane was my first recruit. He is a very skilled cook with a hot temper, but he is incredibly loyal and tells good jokes. Duncan used to live in Ireland as a priest before he came to America. Deborah, we call her Dobby, is brilliant. I think you two would get along very well. Jamie is easy to recognize – just look for his big fur hat and untrimmed beard. Jacob came from Germany and hopes to be reunited with his wife and children. Clipper is the same age as I am but he keeps treating me as though I am his elder. Still, he is one of the most promising assassins.”

“They all sound like wonderful people.” She meant it. So many people, the Homesteaders included, seemed to put their absolute trust in Connor. He would never hurt or betray them, just as he never did to her. “Does anyone else know about your… occupation?”

“A few of the Homesteaders already know. But now that the war is over, I need to tell more. Their safety is my responsibility and they have the right to know the truth about me.”

Madeleine went silent, causing Connor to worry. But instead of speaking, she stood up and wrapped her arms around his large body, burying her face in his chest.

“I want you to stay.” He whispered, returning the hug.

“I will,” she responded. “I love you.”

“I love you too. And I am sorry.”

The decision to stay with Connor was a risky one and she knew she would have to prepare herself for any inevitable dangers in the future. But Madeleine was ready. She realized that she had been ready since the very first time she healed Connor’s wounds. They both were.

“Come.” Connor said, kissing the top of her head. “Let us return home.”

 _Home_ , Madeleine repeated. With Connor holding her close as they walked together through the dissipating fog, she smiled. She used to call many places home – first was Port Royal, fraught with fire and hurricanes; next came her mother’s shop, situated amongst Boston’s crowded streets, and all its bad memories.

They were behind Madeleine. Everything was behind her. The only place she now called home was the Davenport Manor.

**Author's Note:**

> Sort of a remake of a fic I wrote over a year ago dealing with the same prompt. Only this one features an original character of mine. If you have any questions about Madeleine and her relationship with Connor, hmu at aquilaofarkham.tumblr.com~


End file.
